Rupture pad



RUPTURE PAD Filed Dec. 16, 1951 ufl INVENT R wl'NEss ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 14, 1933 UNirso sTATEesV` APrrrNri orifice` y Florencio l`J.Mendez,-NewfYork, N. Y. 'A Y Application VDecember 16, 1931 Serial No. v581,428 Q 4 claims; ,'(cl. 1128-117) T he invention relates to surgical or therapeutic devices, particularly to trusses for the alleviat1on andcure of abdominal rupture, and has for its general obiectthe provision of a novel pad` 5s adapted to form part of a truss and intended to be so located With respect` to a'rupture as to exert the desired and proper pressurethereupon for the purpose of maintaining and retaining'in place the intestine .or portion thereof tending to protrude .through the abdominal Wall or peritoneum. Y f

An important object of, the invention `is to provide a rupture pad of this Ycharacter which has its major portion constructed of spongy material and enclosing a relatively hard spring pressed member which is provided forithe purpose of exerting the desirable and in fact necessary pressure upon the exact location Where `the'use of the pad is needed.

Another object of the'inventionisY to provide a pad of this character embodying a relatively xed or stationary member anda detachablepad element connected therewith in a manner which will permit readyv and easy disconnection for cleansing -purposes or in case replacement is necessary. Y t

An additional'object is to` provide adevice of this character Whichvvill `be Veryrsimple and inexpensive to make, easy to apply, assemble and use, positive in action; efficient and durable in service, and a'general improvement in the art.

With the above and other objects and advan-` 5` two sections of Athe device disconnected.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, I

have shownthe device as comprising al cup 10 of metal, hard rubber or in fact any other suitable rigid material slotted at 11 for engagement upon a spring band Vor other equivalentl element of a truss, this member 10 being moreover provided With a stirrup 12 for connection With a strap, web` or other securing member. Details such as this really do not enter into the essence of the invention but are mentioned simply for rthe sake o-f clearness.

g yIn the preferred form of the invention the outstanding flange portion 13 of this rigid member l0 is represented .as internally threaded for detachable engagementtherein and therewith of a shell 14 likewise'of rigid material, for instance metal, hard rubber or the like, which carries the pad itself indicated as a whole by the numeral 15. This pad may conveniently consist at least for the major partei sponge rubberindicated at 16, this pad being relatively large, and in fact greater in diameter than the main member 10 so as to protrudeor project beyond the edges thereof. This padl has a constricted attaching portion 1'7 which may be of the-'same material as the majorl portion or which may be treated by vulcanization or otherwise so as to be considerably harder. It is also conceivablefthat it may be a simple expedient` to compress this reduced attaching portion 17 of thepad where it is coniined Within the shell.. 14. This and other possible variations-Will at-once suggest themselves to one familiar with surgical devices of this character.

A very Aimportant feature is Vthe provision Within the confines ofthe vreduced or neck portion 17 of the pad lof a pressure applying means here disclosed as comprising a partially spherical auxiliary pad vmember or pressure applying memberV 18 `which lmay possibly V'be formedpf leather or the like covered with fabric, Wire mesh or other similar material indicated at 19 located at the convex side and similarly covered at the plane or' nat side by a disk 20 of suitable material constituting an abutment for a plurality-of coil springs 21 which have their other ends abutting against adisk 22 bearing against the inner surface of the shell 14 as clearly indicated in Figure 3. Within the pad 16 there is consequently formed a relatively'large space or chamber 23 which is lled with air and as this air cannot escape it provides an air cushion which cooperating With the spongy natureof the pad 16 itself will insure, especially by Virtue of the springs 21, the application of 'a sufficiently resilient pressure to the protruding intestine that comfort Willl result from the device. n e Regardless of what exact material may beY used for the construction of the major portionV of the pad 16 it is intended that the material forv the inner pad libe .relatively hard so that the springs 21 reacting against the disk` 22 and the disk 20 bearing against the pad 18 will act to concentrate the pressure to a desirable extent.

ure 4, the construction is in all essential respects the same as above described, the only difference being that the exteriorly threaded shell 14 is replaced by a smooth shell 24 provided With lugs 25 located at preferably diametrically opposite points adapted to be received Within bayonetl slots 26 in a shell 27 corresponding to the member 10 but differing therefrom only in having a smooth interior surface instead of being threaded.

The pad is of course used in identically the same manner as any other rupture pad forming part of a truss for patients suffering from this inrmity. However, attention is directed to the fact that if a spongy material be used for the main pad 16 such spongy material on account of containing a large number of air cells will be very yielding in character and will be capable of transmitting the pressure exerted by the relatively hard central pad 18 Without causing any discomfort or objectionable direct pressure. Owing to the nature of the materials used and the detachability of the elements or various members which constitute the component parts it isl apparent that the device may be readily cleansed Whenever the occasion may arise. Moreover in case of Wearing out-of the pads disclosed in either form of the invention it is easily possible to provide renewals Without undue trouble or expense. 1t is really believed from theforegoing that the construction, operation and advantages will be readily apparent to one skilled in. the art Without further explanation.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that I reserve the right to make all such changes in the details of construction as well as in the arrangement and combination of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

' Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A trusspad of the character described comprising a main member of rigid material adapted for mounting upon a truss and including a flanged circular body, a shell member detachably engaged therein, a pad mounted Within said shell member and including a spongy main portion projecting therebeyond and provided with a central cavity, a relatively hard pad located Within said cavity for exerting an outward pressure upon said first named pad, and spring means reacting against said shell member and against said second named pad.

2. A truss pad comprising an outer member of shell like form adapted for mounting upon a truss, a shell detachably mounted Within said outer member, a pad including a major portion of relatively spongy material having a constricted neck portion engaged Within said second named shell and formed With a centrally located cavity opening out to that side engaged Within the second named shell, a relatively hard pad having a spherical outer face located within the cavity and having a plane abutment disk confronting the secondV named shell, and springs abutting against said shell and said disk for transmitting pressurethrough the major portion of the rst named pad.v Y

3'; A truss pad of the character described comprising a relatively rigid outer member adapted for mounting upon a truss, a shell member detachably engaged Within said outer rigid member, a pad including a major portion of relatively spongy rubber containing air cells and of greater diameter than said shell member and formed with a compressed portion secured within said shell member, said pad having a cavity therein leading out to the side thereof engaged within the shell member, a relatively hard pad element located Within said cavity and having a spherical face for transmitting pressure through the spongy portion of ysaid main pad, a disk located against the inner face of said relatively hard pad, and a plurality of helical springs reacting against said shell member and said disk for transmitting forces through the spongyV portion of the pad.

4. A truss pad comprising an outer member adapted for engagement upon a truss, a shell member detachably engaged within said outer member, a sponge rubber pad having a constricted densied neck portion compressingly engaged Within said shell member, said pad having a cavity at its side toward the shell member, a relatively hard pad located Within the inner end of the cavity and including an abutment disk, a second disk located at the entrance to said cavity and forming a closure therefor whereby the cavity will constitute a closed air chamber, and a plurality of springs located Within the cavity and abutting against said disks.

- FLORENCIO J. MENDEZ.

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